The Roots of Hair Loss

Hair loss can affect almost anyone. The root cause of hair loss can be the result of a combination of causes including heredity, medical conditions, hormonal changes, or medications.

Hair loss affects about 50 million men and 30 million women in the U.S. alone. At least 50 percent of men will experience some degree of hair loss by the time they turn 50.

Hair loss can appear in many different ways, it all depends on what’s causing it. However, sometimes finding the roots of hair loss is impossible as many factors might be involved, and allocating one root cause is uncertain.

What Are the Causes of Hair Loss?

On average, a healthy person will shed 50 to 100 hairs a day without noticing. Those who suffer from hair loss have a disrupted hair growth cycle, damaged hair follicles, and possible scalp scar tissue.

As of today, the root cause of hair loss is not yet fully known, but it’s usually related to a combination of genetics, hormonal imbalances, medical conditions, and medications.

Hormonal Changes

Hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause may be behind your hair loss. Same for males, during andropause receptors on the scalp become activated, causing hair follicles to shrink, which leads to hair loss.

Heredity

Hair loss might be deeply imprinted in your DNA. If your family has a long history of hair loss on either the female or male side, it is just a matter of time until you start seeing your hair falling.

Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions can alter values in your system that are somewhat related to healthy hair growth. When these values are disrupted by the presence of a medical condition, hair loss can be a result of these imbalances. Some medical conditions that could be responsible for hair loss include:

Hypothyroidism

Anemia

Vitamin B deficiency

Auto-immune related hair loss

Trichotillomania – a chronic condition that urges pulling out hair

Polycystic ovary syndrome (POS)

Other Causes

Besides these causes, other factors that can lead to hair loss include the use of medications such as the ones used for arthritis, depression, cancer, high blood pressure, and even birth control.

A trigger event can also lead to hair loss. Physical or emotional shocks inflict tons of stress on the body which can trigger hair loss. Over styling with tight hairstyles can also be the culprit for hair loss. Same with overusing heating tools, straightening products, or other hair treatments that can irritate the hair follicles leading to hair loss.

Types of Hair Loss Patterns

A clue to pinpoint the cause of hair loss is determining the type of hair loss pattern present. The signs and symptoms of specific hair loss patterns can help assess this condition better to fully grasp the cause of the problem.

Gradual Thinning

Touted as the most common type of hair loss, this hair loss pattern resembles the letter M in men’s foreheads while women experience a broadening of the part in their hair.

Patchy Patterns

Some people will experience coin-size bald spots; this type of hair loss is most common on the scalp. But in some cases, it appears in beards or eyebrows.

Sudden Hair Loss

Often, emotional or physical shocks can lead to hair loss. This hair loss type is known for handfuls of hair that might come out while washing or combing hair.

Full-body Hair Loss

This hair loss type is the one primarily caused by medical conditions or some medical treatments such as chemotherapy. Here, people experience a total loss of hair that eventually grows back after treatment is completed.

Scaling Patterns

This type of hair loss if most likely accompanied by redness, swelling, broken hair, and oozing. This kind of hair loss is often the result of ringworms.

When to Seek Help

Since hair loss is often treated with over-the-counter solutions, it is complicated to understand when people should seek professional treatment. However, when unexpected and sudden hair loss occurs, consulting with a doctor since hair loss might signal an underlying medical condition.

Treatments for Hair Loss

Effective treatment for certain types of hair loss is widely available. Procedures for hair loss range from medications, laser therapy, wigs, or even surgery. Often a combination of these treatment options is used to control signs of hair loss.

However, modern, comprehensive medicine is turning to treatments such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy to deal with hair loss. PRP treatments work by repairing the hair follicles helping them become more abundant and healthier. As a result, hair grows thicker and fuller.

Also, focusing on bioidentical hormone therapy can help balance hormones within your system to enable your body to work to its fullest potential.